The Box
by Coneflower Adams
Summary: Tamora and Felix get into a tight spot with a dangerous gaming object.


ask-icancraft-it requested the prompt "Can You Hear Me"

* * *

Before they realized what they had stumbled upon, Tamora was sucked into the box, vanishing as if she'd never existed.

"Tamora!" Felix yelled, rushing to retrieve the box, but stopped. What if it sucked him in to and there was no chance of escape from the inside? He leaned over it, cautiously. "Tammy, can you hear me?"

There was no answer.

* * *

Every bone in her body felt detached as Calhoun regained consciousness. Pushing up on her elbows, she whipped her gaze around, but only darkness surrounded her.

 _Oh no_. She wasn't in GCS anymore. Some foolish person had left a dangerous gaming object in the station for anyone to touch! When she found out who, being swallowed by a cy-bug would be less painful.

Tamora took a step in the direction she faced, hands extended out in front of her. She turned in a slow circle, but all she found was empty space.

Tentatively taking a few steps forward, Tamora's fingertips brushed against a flat vertical surface. She patted the barrier. A wall; had to be one of the sides of the box.

"There has to be a way out of here" her voice echoed in the emptiness.

A low rumble rose up behind her. Tamora froze. Something was in there with her. Shadows from light flickered to life off the walls. Tamora spun around to find a dragon-like monster, flames dancing upon it's body. It rose up to full height, nearly touching the ceiling of the box.

A blaster wouldn't cut it in a fighting this thing. Tamora had to find a way out, and fast.

* * *

Felix was on the verge of hyperventilating as he bent all around to examine the box. Runes-like designs covered the surface, but none of them made sense to him. They were all just pretty drawings, really, but he knew better. They had to mean something.

"Tammy?" he called again, helplessly. "Please, darlin', if you can hear me, let me know."

Felix jumped as an orangish glow lit up the box. Something was happening, and he doubted it was anything good. Now that the runes symbols were alight, he could decipher them easier. Taking the risk, Felix raised a trembling hand to the box.

Tamora dove to the ground, rolling out of the way of the monster's clawed appendage as it swung at her. She jumped back to her feet, prepared for it's next move. What she wasn't prepared for was Felix's voice echoing through the box.

"Tammy, can you hear me?"

"Felix?" she called out, slightly out of breath as she quickly dodged a fiery tail. She rushed to the wall, banging a fist on the surface. "Get me out of here, Fix-It!"

"Working it!"

A flaming claw grazed her arm. Her armor sizzled leaving a slice open across her forearm. Tamora gritted her teeth. The heat from the blow burned her skin.

"Hurry up before this thing turns me extra crispy!"

* * *

Felix pushed caution aside. His dynamite gal was in trouble! Tossing off his gloves, he skimmed fingers across the box searching for a button, latch, or anything that may open the gaming object. He yelped, elated, when both thumbs found a secret button on either side. He took a deep breath and hoped it worked.

* * *

Tamora's stamina was draining quickly. Being contained in such a small place with nowhere to hide, she constantly had to move or the fire-monster would consume her. She jumped back as it stomped down upon her, and her back slammed into the wall hard enough for her to see stars. She dropped to her knees, a splitting headache exploding.

The fire-monster screeched, rearing it's clawed-paw ready to submit the final blow. Tamora raised her head, prepared for the end.

Instead of her body being chard, she felt as if she were being sucked up into the vacuum. "Tammy!" she heard Felix's voice before she saw him, and he nearly knocked her over with a relieved hug.

"Hold on, Fix-It! We have to close the box!" she said, noticing the orange glow becoming brighter as the box rattled and a roar escaped.

"Oh my land-" Felix hurried to find the release for the buttons, the box became unbearably hot as his bare fingers danced over it. There were two other buttons on the opposite sides that had popped out when he pressed the other two. He smashed the buttons in, and the glow faded away as the box sealed.

They both stared, shaken, for a moment before Felix dropped the box and skittered away from it on his back end. He glanced at Tamora, wide-eyed. "What was that thing?"

"You don't wanna know," she answered roughly. Tamora set her back on the floor, her head still reeling from the exertion. Felix crawled over to her, and laid beside her. "Your timing was perfect, Fix-It."

Felix rested a hand on her hip, the touch reassuring him that Tammy was safe. "You're welcome, ma'am."


End file.
